Conveying roll for furnaces and the like



NOV. 26, 1929. w, A, MORTON 1,737,117

CONVEYING ROLL FOR FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed Deo. 23. 1927 Jl Illl FII 1 111.114 'a111111'1l1lvlflrlnrllurllul1xl111111111111111',11u11lulllllllllllllllllu/rl.

ITII

Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. MORTON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMCO, INCOR- PORATED, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA CONVEYING ROLL FOR FURNACES AND THE LIKE Application mea December as, 1927. serial No. 242,275.

terial of the rolls their perimetral or work' ing surfaces are of relatively lower temperatures than those of the general environment about the product carried by the rolls, thus preventing temperature uniformity. Such unbalanced temperature conditions are reiected in the quality of the product, as'for instance the enamelled ware which is baked 5 in the furnace or steel annealed or heated in the furnace.

Une of the objects which I have in view is the elimination of the necessity for cooling the working surfaces of the rolls, thus as- O sisting in maintaining a uniform temperature environment for the product.

Another object in View is the provision of a conveying roll formed of refractory material.

5 Other objects will appear from the following description.

In general my improved conveying roll is a rotary arch comprising a plurality of interlocked elements or voussoirs, formed of 0 refractory material and held assembled under compression.

Preferably-the end journals of the roll are metallic members which may also actas the compression pediments of the arch.

Again I may assemble the refractory elements or voussoirs on a metal core the ends of which may Aforin the journals and such core may provide ,for the passage of cooling currents of air or water.

Again my invention provides means for introducing fluid, such as for instance hydrogen or oxygen, through the conveyer rolls into the furnace for controlling or determin ing the atmospheric conditions.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated the best embodiment of the principles of my invention now known to me, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the conveying roll, the furnace being shown in transverse section; Fig. 2is a similar view of a modication; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing a further form of elements or voussoirs; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 1 land 2 of a second modication; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the roll shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view inside elevation.

Referring first to Fig. 1, 1 represents the side walls and 2 the roof arch of a furnace. The roll is formed of a central voussoir or keystone 3, the intermediate voussoirs 4 and the end voussoirs 5. The voussoirs are circular and formed of refractory material, such as fire clay and are arranged to interlock to form the flat, cylindrical arch shown. The keystone 3 is conveXed on both faces while the intermediate voussoirs 4 are cup-shaped with the concavities disposed inwardly. rIhe end voussoirs 5 have their inner faces cupshaped to interlock with the adjacent voussoirs 4 while their outer ends are inserted into the annular flanges 6 of pediment members 7 which are preferably metal.

In Fig. 2 I show the voussoirs of cone shape and assembled in telescopic relation.

In both cases I prefer to form the voussoirs ywith diminishing thickness toward their perimetral edges to add strength and increase their resistance to cracking.

In Fig. 3 I show the voussoirs as flat disks f which have bosses 4a and recesses 4b which about their axes, and through said holes I insert the stay bolts 8, the heads of the bolts bearing inwardly against one of the pediment members 7 while the nuts 9 are screwed up against the other pediment member.

The journals 10 at each end of the roll are preferably metal and may be formed integrally with or fixed to the pediment members 7. 11 represents a sprocket mounted on one end the inner raceway 13 is carried on the outer face of the sprocket 11 while at the other end of the roll said raceway is carried on the outer face of the pediment member 7. The outer raceways 14 are carried by the compression screws 15 extending through threaded holes in the stands 12. 16 represents the balls or rollers engaging the raceways.

It is evident that by tightening the thrust bolts 16 to the proper degree, the voussoirs are clamped and wedged together to' form a self-sustaining rotary arch of requisite rigiditylfl and strength to function as a conveyer ro The rolls are driven inunison, as by the chain 17 engaging the roll sprockets 11 and also a driven sprocket 18, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In thecase of the modified forni of rolly as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the voussoirs are annuli and are mounted on a central core 19, which may be a hollow shaft ofheat-resisting metal alloy. In tliiscase the Voussoirs and pediment members are compressed into the requisite wedged relation by the staybolts 8 and this compression is maintained as by fixing the pediment members 7 to the shaft 19 as by the set screws 20. The protruding ends of the shaft may be employed as the Y journal upon the roll is revolved.

To protect 'the metal core from heat-in- ]ury, currents of water or air may be passed through its interior.

To further protect the metal'core through -the interruption of heat transference I prefer to Vplrovide rows of registering apertures 21 in t e voussoirs adjacent to or intersecting the central openings, and to fill the longitudinal passageways thus formed in the roll with asbestos or other non-conductor of heat 22.l

It is sometimes advantageous or necessary to control the atmospheric conditions in the furnace by the introduction therein of hydrogen, oxygen or other substances in a fluid state. For this purpose I may, as shown in Fig. 4, provide the voussoirs with radial ports or other openings 23 through which the gaseous substances may be admitted to the furnace interior. Thus the openings 23 vmay connect at their inner ends with ports 24 in the core 19'and the gaseous substances may be introducedthrough the core and thence by the openings 21 and ports 22 uniformly through- December, 1927.

out the furnace or as may be most advantageous. l

It is obvious that my improved refractory arch roll will present to the product which is conveyed to the rolls substantially the same surface temperature as the remainder of the furnace interior and therefore there will occur no unbalancing of the furnace temperature. What I desire to claim is 1. A rotary conveying roll for furnaces consisting of an arch comprising a keystone and a plurality of voussoirs at either side 'thereof and means for holding said voussoirs alined on said core and held in compression in self-supporting relation, and heat-insulating material positioned between said core and the outer perimetral surface of the roll. s n 5. A rotary conveying roll for furnaces consisting of a cylindrical arch comprising a tubular metallic core and aplurality of refractory voussoirs alined on said core and held in compression, the wall of said core being provided with perforations for the admission of fluid to the voussoirs.

6. A rotary conveying roll for furnaces comprising a tubular metallic core and an -outer tread surfaceof refractory material,

the wall of said core being provided with openings for the admission of fluid from the interior of the tubular core of the refractory material.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 21st day of WILLIAM A. MORTON. 

